Manakeesh is a flat baked dough with toppings. It is part of the Levant region cuisine, comprising Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine & Syria. Manakeesh evolved to be the one of the most beloved foods of the region, especially in Lebanon
To celebrate World Mankoushe Day a thread…
1/ Manakeesh is also known as “Manoush”, “Manaeesh”, and “Mankoushe”. Manoush came from the Arabic word “Manqushah”, which means “carve-out” or to stamp or decorate, which refers to the indentations made with fingers while flattening the dough for the toppings
2/ There is not much known about the origins of Manakeesh. However, the first known recordings of this dish was found in an Arabian cookbook which dates back to the 10th century.
3/ Traditionally, women would bake dough in the morning in a communal oven to feed their family, and with that, they would make small portions of dough using different toppings for breakfast. From here, the recipe evolved into the famous Manakeesh.
4/ Baked briefly in the oven, Manakeesh are both chewy and crispy. They may be served warm or cooled and are especially delicious alongside creamy labneh cheese, salty olives, and a few fresh bites of cucumber.
6/ Over time, Manakeesh has become one of the most important foods of the Levant region. Some toppings include minced lamb, mutton or beef, spinach, veggies, yogurt, Za’atar, and cheese.
7/ The most popular Manakeesh uses Za’atar as a topping. Za'atar is a culinary herb or family of herbs. It is also the name of a spice mixture that includes the herb along with toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, often salt, as well as other spices.
9/ Minced lamb Manakeesh (لحم بعجين, laḥm bi-‘ajīn) is often served for lunch because of its heavier contents. This popular Manakeesh has a minced lamb topping mixed with tiny pieces of diced tomato & vegetable oil - optionally served with pickles & yogurt
10/ Manakish can be prepared pizza-style with a variety of fancy toppings. These may include cheese, meat (beef or turkey), mushrooms, labneh, cheese with honey, or chocolate with bananas.
11/ The question of whether Manakeesh or Pizza was invented first is still subject to debate today. Since tomatoes were not yet discovered in Ancient Rome at the time when people were spreading thyme & olive oil on flatbread in the Middle East, Manakeesh might have come first.
If you like this thread, check out our forthcoming Islamic Art & Culture Digital Festival happening online on 28 & 29 November.
Over 50 creatives, artists, experts & academics will explore the past, present. & future of Islamic art & culture
The Qur’an was first revealed during the month of Ramadan. This blessed month is also known by Muslims as the month of Fasting
To celebrate the arrival of #Ramadan here are 24 beautiful Qur’anic manuscripts found in museum collections across the world #RamadanMubarak
A thread…
1/ Folio from a Manuscript of the Qur'an
Iran, Shiraz, 1550-1575
Ink, colors and gold on paper
@LACMA #Ramadan
@LACMA 2/ Double Folio from a Qur'an
c. 1330-1350, Central Asian or Turkish
Early Muslim settlers from central and western Asia carried Islamic book traditions into India, especially in the form of Qur'ans, such as the one from which these pages come
Shah-i-Zinda is one Samarkand’s most beloved sites, which contains some of the richest tile work in the world. The magnificent architecture draws inspiration from multiple periods & styles, taking you back through time & across cultures
A thread on the beauty of Shah-i-Zinda…
1/ The Shah-i-Zinda ensemble includes mausoleums, mosques & other ritual buildings of 11-15th & 19th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda (meaning The living king) is connected with the legend that Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is buried here
📷 Ash Diler
2/ Shah-i-Zinda is a world-famous example of a continuously constructed historical site. Over 1,000 years ago, it was founded with a single religious monument. Between the 11th & 19th centuries, mosques & mausoleums were continuously added
From Spain to Azerbaijan, to Germany to Bosnia, Europe has some of the finest mosques.
The presence of Islam in Europe is not a new phenomenon, with Muslims residing in the continent as early as the 8th century.
Here are 24 mosques across Europe #JummahMubarak
A thread…
1/ Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque, Mostar, Bosnia
Dates back to 1617 & features numerous multicolored windows, a minaret with a lookout spot & a courtyard with several tombs. Although the original Ottoman mosque was heavily damaged during the attacks of the 1990s it has been restored
2/ The Shah Jahan Mosque, Woking, England
This is the first purpose built mosque that was built in the UK.
It was built in 1889 by Dr Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner, an orientalist of Jewish descent from Hungary. Money was donated by Begum Shah Jahan, the Nawab Begum of Bhopal.
Welcome to Al-Mutanabbi Street the ‘Book Market of Baghdad’, where books remain in the street at night because Iraqis say:
“The reader does not steal and the thief does not read.”
A thread on the rich heritage of the historic book market on Al-Mutanabbi Street…
1/ Al-Mutanabbi Street is the historic center of Baghdad bookselling, that dates back to the time of the Abbasids. Located near the old quarter of Baghdad, Al-Mutanabbi Street was Baghdad’s first book traders’ market.
2/ Al-Mutanabbi Street has been, since time immemorial, the historic heart and soul of the Baghdad literary and intellectual community.
Libraries developed in the Islamic Golden Age due to a commitment to literacy & seeking knowledge. One of the oldest libraries in the world Al-Qarawiyyin library, was founded by a Muslim woman, more than 12 centuries ago!
A thread on the greatest libraries in Islamic history…
1/ Al-Qarawiyyan Library, Fez, Morocco
Founded by a Muslim woman, Fatima El-Fihriya in 859, it is one of the oldest libraries in the world & the oldest library in Africa. It also holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest working library, & is still in use today…
1.1/ The Al-Qarawiyyan Library houses a collection of 4,000 rare books & ancient Arabic manuscripts written by renowned scholars of the region. The manuscripts include a 9th century version of the Quran and a manuscript on Islamic jurisprudence written by philosopher Averroes.
Designed to imitate the heavens, Islamic gardens are lush oases of scent, water and sacred geometry. They are a cool place of rest and a reminder of paradise.
Here are 20 beautiful Islamic gardens from across the world…
A thread….
1/ Gardens @CambCentMosque
A harmonious balance between Islamic structure & relaxed English herbaceous and naturalistic planting. A concern for sustainability, biodiversity & insect-friendly planting has also been a constant theme in the selection of plants.
@CambCentMosque 2/ Jardin Majorelle, Morocco
The garden, started in 1924, contains a psychedelic desert mirage of 300 plant species from five continents.